Brian O’Grady gestured to NPB’s lion Seibu

Former Padres, Rays and Reds . First Midfielder / Midfielder Brian O’Grady signed a contract with Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball, according to announcements from both the Lions and from O’Grady himself (Twitter link).

O’Grady, 29, became a free agent after being dropped from San Diego’s roster at the end of the season. 2014 Round of 16 Picks (Reds) sees a career-high 61 appearances with the Brothers in 2021, frequently acting as a catcher but also making several starts right yard. O’Grady scored .157 / .267 / .333 with a home double, three doubles and eight walkers (13.1%).

The limited role isn’t entirely new for O’Grady, who also saw action with the Reds in 2019 and the Rays in 2020 without ever getting a chance at consistent playtime. . He’s a career goalscorer of .184 / .283 / .388 in 114 Major League appearances – but those appearances have spanned 62 games.

O’Grady reckons there will be more opportunities in Japan, and given his .284 / .362 / .551 career in 978 Triple-A appearances, there’s good reason to be. believes he will find success abroad. Regardless of how he performs, he will most likely be paid a guaranteed salary, eclipsing what he has achieved in another season between Triple-A and the major leagues. A strong season in Japan could see O’Grady get a raise under a new NPB or KBO contract, and success in the foreign pro league could also see him return to the MLB under a guaranteed contract. at some point.